By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
PETAL – After getting trounced 10-0 a week ago at Brandon, Petal softball coach Shelly Flood was hoping to see, “some fight,” from her team in the rematch.
She got that, at least, and the Panthers had a better outcome Tuesday night than last week, but only marginally so. The visiting Bulldogs jumped in front 3-0 after the first inning and never looked back in a 9-2 victory at Petal Softball Field.
The victory clinched the outright championship in Region 6-6A for Brandon (13-5-1 overall, 6-0 region), and the bye through the first round of the playoffs that comes with it.
Petal (13-7, 4-2) will be the region’s No. 2 seed and is expecting to face Gulfport next week in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs.
“Tonight, we asked our team to show some fight, show a little respect, and play with some fire,” said first-year Petal coach Shelly Flood.
“As far as beating Brandon goes, taking away what they give us, the little bloop balls that we’re not catching, the ones going through our legs, we can control those things. We clean that up, our pitchers are hitting their spots, and we can compete with them.”
Petal lost a number of key players who were critical to its drive to the 6A state title last season, while Brandon is a senior-heavy squad. One key player who is back for the Panthers is senior Emma Kate Fimiano, who has moved into the role as No. 1 pitcher.
“The season has been going pretty well,” said Fimiano. “I’m enjoying my senior season with my teammates. We’ve got a lot of young players, so I’m happy to be able to step into a leadership role.”
Fimiano pitched well enough against a tight strike zone, but allowed too many key hits with two outs that did in the Panthers.
“I don’t necessarily think I was pressing with two outs,” said Fimiano. “The made good adjustments, and they hit the ball well. I think it was just situational. They hit some good pitches.”
Brandon started its two-out onslaught right from the start. Fimiano got two quick outs before giving up a walk to speedy senior Ariel Davis, and she easily took third on a single from senior Channing Sarver.
Both runners scored on a double to deep leftfield by Bulldog sophomore Kam Jordan, and Jordan scored on a single inside the bag at first base by senior Addison Lee.
“That’s what I told our girls before the game,” said Brandon coach Heidi Hill. “We can start the momentum right here at the top of the inning, and we did that scoring those first three runs right there. That kind of kept us going throughout the ball game.”
The three-run cushion was about all the help Bulldog senior right-hander Abigail Rogers needed. Rogers blanked the Panthers until the sixth inning, when Petal scored both of its runs, but was never in serious trouble.
She went the distance, allowed six hits, two runs, both earned, struck out seven and didn’t walk or hit a batter. In fact, she only went to a 3-2 count once the entire game.
“She did a great job tonight commanding the ball game,” said Hill. “That’s what we expect of her. She had very good control and kept them off-balance.”
Brandon added to its lead with a run in the top of the third. Davis stroked a one-out single to left, took third on a double by Sarver and scored when Lee beat the relay on a double-play ball up the middle.
As in the first, Fimiano was the victim of another two-out rally in the fourth, resulting in two runs.
After two quick outs, freshman leadoff batter Hannah Jo Sullivan reached on an error, then beat out a force play at second, paving the way for Davis’ two-run double into the gap in right-center.
“When we get to two and we can’t get that third out, especially the ones that they give us, then we let those girls get on base,” said Flood. “They run the bases extremely well, and they hit all through the lineup.”
Trailing 7-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Petal finally broke through against Rogers. Starting with the top of the batting order, sophomore Gracie Drinkwine singled to left to get things started.
Rogers got a strikeout, but freshman pinch-hitter Macey Bullock smoked a scorching just inside the leftfield line, with Drinkwine scoring from first on the double. Senior Brianna Byrd smacked a two-out RBI double to left but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.
Brandon shrugged off the Petal rally and got those runs right back in the top of the seventh off freshman reliever Jaley Weathersby, both runs scoring on two balls that never got out of the infield.
Sophomore Dakota Davis led off with a triple, but Weathersby got a strikeout to keep her at third base.
Sophomore Lila Harrison dropped a bunt single on a squeeze play, and after a moment of hesitation, Weathersby threw wide of first base, with Harrison taking second on the error. Sophomore Chloe Jenkins hit a slow roller to second to score the second run of the inning.
Rogers went back for the bottom of the inning and needed just six pitches to retire the Panthers in order, finishing with a tidy 78-pitch night.
Sophomore Morgan Taylor had a double and a single for Petal. Brandon rapped out 12 hits in all, with five players having multiple-hit games.
“(Brandon) is going to hit,” said Flood. “They’re a great hitting team; they always have been. But we’ve also got to make sure we’re hitting through the lineup, like we’re capable of.”
Both teams will complete the regular season schedule with non-region contests, although Hill said Brandon might try to pick up a game or two next week to stay sharp for the postseason, depending on who’s available.
The Bulldogs finish with two home games, Thursday against North Pike and next Tuesday against West Lauderdale. Petal completes its schedule Thursday at home against West Harrison then Friday at Hancock.
Prep Softball Linescore
Tuesday at Petal
Brandon 9, Petal 2
Brandon 301 210 2 – 9 12 1
Petal 000 002 0 – 2 6 2
BRANDON (13-5-1, 6-0 in 5-6A): Chloe Jenkins 1B; Ariel Davis 2B, 1B; Channing Sarver 2B, 1B; Kam Jordan 2B; Addison Lee 2 1B; Dakota Davis 3B, 1B; Lila Harrison 1B. WP – Abigail Rogers 7K, 0 BB.
PETAL (13-7, 4-2 in 5-6A): Gracie Drinkwine 1B; Macey Bullock 2B; Morgan Taylor 2B, 1B; Taylor Foster 2B. LP – Emma Kate Fimiano. Also pitching – Jaley Weathersby.
